Alphabet Soup
by Glowing Blue
Summary: Post–Manga. A look at twenty-six of the infinite ways they show their love for each other. Natsume and Mikan, from A to Z.
1. Advice

**Prompt: **Advice  
**Other characters: **None (aside from mentions of Sumire).  
**Other pairings: **None.  
**Notes:** The end of the manga gave me _so _many feels, as did the memorial book. Those of you who have not been to the _Gakuen Alice _tag of tumblr, go there now and you'll see what I mean! All these feels just needed to be channeled into something a little more manageable, so I decided to write something :)

**Disclaimer: ****I do not own Gakuen Alice or any of its characters.**

* * *

Mikan just wasn't acting like herself today, and Natsume had almost had it by the end of their date.

A walk through Central Town had been her idea, yet she'd arrived at their agreed meeting spot late, her breathing so even that she couldn't possibly have run to at least _try _to be punctual. He'd let her tardiness slide with nothing more than a displeased grunt, for his fiancée had quite a track record for never being on time, but it was her skirt that had caught his attention next.

_Too short_, he decided almost immediately, and since then, he simply could not put it out of his mind. It was one thing if she wore something so revealing during a date in one of their dorms, but it was another to notice how all the men they passed would gawk at her legs shamelessly.

He didn't say anything to Mikan, both because he just wasn't the type to fixate on clothing, and because he believed she had a right to do what she chose with her own body. But that didn't mean at least half a dozen men didn't spontaneously combust as they passed.

She'd ordered next to nothing at the restaurant, despite her infamous gluttony, and had shown absolutely no excitement over any of the displays Central Town had to offer, even though just last week, she'd flown off into a dream land over even the smallest trinket.

By the time he dropped her off at her dorm, Natsume simply couldn't hold himself back any longer.

"You want to explain to me just _what _was wrong with you today?" he asked dryly.

Mikan swiftly averted his eyes, picking at some thread on her blouse instead. "Wh-What do you mean?"

"You honestly think playing dumb is going to work?" he growled, narrowing his crimson eyes down at her when she fidgeted uncomfortably. "I felt like I wasn't even out with _Mikan _today. What exactly happened?"

She mumbled something intangible under her breath, hoping it would suffice, but one glance at his expectanct glare had her repeating her words clearly. "Permy gave me some advice last night."

Dread almost immediately settled over him, but he kept his voice cool as he raised one questioning eyebrow. "Advice?" When Mikan said nothing in return, he insisted, "What did she say exactly?"

"She said that if I wanted to keep you, there were a few things that I should change," his girlfriend revealed, ducking her head so he couldn't see the red running across her cheeks.

Natsume sighed roughly, gazing down at her with a flat stare. Everything made perfect sense now. Of course his moronic, gullible girlfriend would believe everything that spewed out of that blasted woman's mouth. Of course she would follow the idiotic advice to a tee.

"So you being late?" he asked, almost exhausted by the whole ordeal.

"She said it's important to be fashionably late."

"And the skirt?" He was almost positive now that it had not been her idea, and his suspicions were confirmed when her entire face turned a mortified red.

"Sh-She said I needed to i-intice you," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper this time. "My wardrobe's not sexy enough for someone like you, is what she said."

"For the love of..." he grumbled, slapping a palm against his forehead. He _loved _the way Mikan dressed, even if he'd sooner kiss Naru than tell anyone that. Was there anything cuter than the sight of her wearing her favorite beanie with the bear ears sewed on?

"Let me guess," he hissed, just barely containing himself. "She told you to eat less and stop getting excited about everything, or else I'd get annoyed, right?"

Mikan nodded, a pout twisting her lips, and Natsume could only roll his eyes.

"I want you to forget everything she told you," he ordered her sternly. "In no way does she know what I want. Do you think I would have exchanged Alice stones with you if I wanted you to _change_ after?"

"I just didn't want to lose you!" she defended herself. "She said that, as the President of the Natsume and Ruka Fan Club, there was no one else who knew you better."

"Well, she _doesn't_ know me, Mikan, so stop listening to her," he growled back. "Now tell me, that was the only nonsense she told you, right?"

To his surprise, the blush engulfing her cheeks darkened to an alarming shade of crimson, creeping over her neck and ears as well. She suddenly couldn't meet his eyes once again, taking a keen interest in the brown carpet under their feet. This couldn't have been anything good, Natsume feared.

"What?" he asked cautiously. "What else did she tell you?"

"W-Well," Mikan stuttered, "she told me I needed to be more a-aggressive."

He gaped down at her incredulously. "_Aggressive_? She wants you to _fight_ people? And how exactly does she think violence is going to–"

"Not _that_ kind of aggressive!" Mikan cut across him. "_This _kind!"

Fisting the front of his shirt in both of her dainty hands, she yanked him down and pulled herself up to the tips of her toes, meeting his lips in the middle for a chaste kiss. Screwing her eyes shut, she pressed her mouth against his more firmly, drawing out the kiss for a few more beats. He could only blink down at her rapidly, his brain short-circuited from the surprise, until she pulled away.

"L-Like that," she mumbled, stepping back and twiddling her thumbs.

Silence stretched out between them as he attempted to regain his bearings. It wasn't often that she was the first to initiate a kiss, and certainly not without incessant coaxing on his part. He could still feel the warmth of her mouth under his own, a kiss made timid in light of her embarrassment. He could _definitely _get used to this.

Twisting an arm around her waist, he bent down and covered her mouth yet again, this time for a kiss much more _aggressive _than the last.

"You know, you should really listen to Permy more often."

* * *

**A/N: **Aaaaand, there you have it ^_^

I haven't decided whether _all _the drabbles in this alphabet series will take place in high school or beyond, or whether they'll all even be in the canon universe. For now, let's just say you have to take what you get :P

I also haven't come up with prompts for the rest of the alphabet yet. If any of you have prompts you want to give me, feel free! I will, of course, choose the one that gets my muse kick-started, _especially _if multiple people give me prompts for the same letter. Thank you in advance :D


	2. Birthday

**Prompt: **Birthday  
**Other characters: **A little bit of Tsubasa, Iinchou, and Anna.  
**Other pairings: **None.  
**Notes:** As it's stated in the manga, students graduate from Gakuen Alice at the age of twenty. I'm a little unsure whether that means they have two extra years of high school, but I've assumed that to be the case while writing this. Also, ages were never cleared up by the end of the manga, but since Tsubasa is about four years older than Mikan, I'd say he was roughly twenty by the end – and in this fic – which means he has yet to graduate.  
**Warnings: **I forgot to say that these drabbles have no guarantee of being spoiler-free, so if you're not caught up with the manga, I suggest being careful when reading them.  
**Dedication: **This chapter is dedicated to **Animefreak2000**. Thank you for the prompt! :D

**Disclaimer: ****I do not own Gakuen Alice or any of its characters.**

* * *

This coming New Year's, everyone was a little subdued.

Tsubasa gazed at all the forlorn faces in confusion. This certainly wasn't the reception he had expected after reuniting with his underclassmen. At the very least, he'd expected the bubbly bundle of energy that was Mikan to come barreling right into him for a hug, with her stewing boyfriend close behind, but they were both nowhere to be found.

He stopped Tobita in the hall for some much-needed answers. "What's wrong with everyone today? Did Jinno-sensei give back a test?"

The timid class representative shook his head frantically, a little intimidated by the figure caging him into the wall. "N-Nothing like that! It's just...it's hard to be cheerful when Mikan-chan isn't smiling like she always is."

His gaze fell to the ground in dismay, while a passing Anna heaved a sigh so heavy it seemed to sap her body of its soul. Tsubasa watched the entire scene with worry. It made sense that Mikan's mood effected the class so strongly, for her smile was always the one thing that kept everyone from falling apart even in moments of weakness, and over the years, anyone who knew her had become fiercely protective of it. He would march into her classroom himself this instant if she didn't already have a certain fire-caster by her side.

Scratching the back of his head helplessly, Tsubasa could only hope she would return to normal soon.

_Must be thinking about Hotaru..._

**.. ********ღ ..**

That was almost exactly what was running through Natsume's mind as he approached his sullen girlfriend.

The classroom had emptied out long ago with the end of class, but she either did not realize it or simply did not care, because she had yet to move from her seat. _That _much was strange enough, as she was usually the first one to run out, more than excited to escape the torture that was school. Instead, she had her cheeks cupped with both hands, elbows on the table so she could tilt her head back and gaze aimlessly at the ceiling. Occasionally, a sigh passed through her lips, along with a dazed, glassy look through her eyes.

"Oi, Mikan," he called out to her, taking the seat in front so she had to look him in the eye when her gaze finally left the ceiling. "You want to tell me what's on your mind?"

"Nothing's on my mind," she tried unsuccessfully to end the conversation.

He only snorted. "As much as I'd usually believe that, no one turns the entire classroom into a ghost town with _nothing _on their mind."

She finally noticed exactly what state their surroundings were in, perhaps for the first time, because her face registered shock at the dreary, desolate classroom around them. "_I _did this?" When he only gave her a pointed look, with an incredulous raised eyebrow to match, she relented with a sigh. "Oh, all right. I was just thinking that...well, my birthday is coming soon."

"And you think we forgot?" he asked flatly, remembering the last time they had pretended so, simply for the sake of surprise. "Mikan, I'm _not _going to forget to get you a present–"

"It's not _that_," she whined. "It's just that now I know it's not my _real _birthday."

He let that sink in for a moment. It was true. They'd discovered that to be the case four years ago, and now that Mikan's memories had returned, she could finally remember the truth for herself.

"I only celebrate it on New Year's because that's what Jii-chan did, but my real birthday should be some time in May," she went on sullenly, looking up at him with helpless eyes. "What do I do, Natsume? I don't even know when my own birthday is."

He rolled his eyes. "Is that what's eating at you? Just go ask your uncle, or Shiki, if you're that worried about it. If anyone knows, they do. See? The answer was that easy, moron."

She mulled it over in her head. "I guess..." But it was obvious something was still eating away at her. She suddenly refused to meet his eyes any longer, gazing helplessly at her palms instead, and he sighed. Honestly, this girl was so much trouble.

"What _now, _Polka?" he demanded, reverting back to the old nickname in his irritation. "Someting still bothering you?"

"We-ell." She dragged it out, taking the extra time to peek at him from behind her lashes. "I'm older than you."

The other eyebrow went up. "So? We've always known that."

"B-B-But, the _prince _has to be _older!_" she exclaimed, flushing all the way down to her neck but keeping her eyes steadily planted on his face.

"Prince?" he repeated, the word dry on his tongue. His stare was just as flat. "What the hell are you blathering on about _now_, Polka?"

"The prince in all the fairytales is always older, Natsume," she explained pointedly. "Ever since I was little, I've always _dreamed _about living in a fairytale and marrying a prince. But the prince has to be older than me! And you're not!"

He folded his arms on the table and leaned forward, so close that their noses almost touched. He heard her sharp intake of breath, so soft that it would have escaped his notice had he not been so close. Neither of them could turn their eyes away from each other's. Finally, Natsume ran a hand roughly through his hair and sighed.

"I never claimed I was a prince, Mikan," he mumbled.

"But you are one," she whispered back, a drizzle of red running across her cheeks. "Don't you remember when I was in that tower, Natsume? When you gave me the fairytale of Rapunzel and promised you'd come back to save me? That's when you became my prince."

That caused him to pause, before he gruffly looked away in his embarrassment. How did she manage to say such sappy, romantic things when even holding his hand was too much for her sometimes? He never quite knew how to respond when she showed him such an affectionate side of her without precedence.

"So now you've decided I'm not your prince anymore because I'm not old enough?" he demanded, still awkward and gruff.

"Of course not!" she retorted, her voice shrill. One look from the corners of his eyes confirmed that her entire face had turned an unhealthy shade of puce. "I-I just meant...well, it's just – _ugh, _how did talking about my birthday turn into _this!_"

_"You _brought it up," he sniped back, but there was no malice in his words. Instead, a smirk graced his lips as he reached over and cradled her hand in his own. If she was back to being the stuttering fool and he was in control, then they had reached familiar territory. "Princes come in all shapes and sizes, Mikan. And ages," he added on for her benefit.

"I-I guess..." she relented unsurely. She certainly didn't want Natsume thinking she no longer considered him her prince, because he most certainly was and always would be – of _that_ much, she was certain.

He rolled his eyes, tugging on her hand to pull them both up. "Let's drop this moronic topic. Only _you _would talk about something like this, anyway."

"Where are we going?" she asked curiously, allowing him to lead her out, her mood significantly lighter than when she'd walked in that morning. Many of the students in the halls noticed she was no longer so somber, and they all breathed sighs of relief, silently thanking Natsume in their heads.

"To the High School Principal," he replied, "to find out when your real birthday is. Maybe _then _you won't forget about our study date again."

As Mikan flushed and spluttered apologies to her boyfriend, the fire-caster simply thought back to their conversation, realizing that it bothered him more than he cared to admit. It wouldn't do at all for Mikan to stop looking at him with stars in her eyes; then _any _older man could simply snatch her away, and he would be cold and dead in his grave before he let anyone take his Mikan.

Somehow, he'd have to teach her that princes and heroes came in all ages.

Perhaps, this coming birthday, he'd present her with the tale of Peter Pan.

* * *

**A/N:** This one took a little longer than I planned for it to, but only because I had trouble with the ending. Still not happy with it, _urrggh_.

And I keep trying to keep these short, but somehow they still end up 1000-2000 words long. Why can't I ever _drabble?_ ;w;


	3. Camping

**Prompt: **Camping  
**Other characters: **Just mentions of multiple characters.  
**Other pairings: **None.  
**Notes:** I'm assuming Mikan remained a one-star student?  
**Dedication: **This chapter is dedicated to **Socially Awkward Bunny **for giving me this prompt! Though you'll find that I've used 'camping' in a difference sense than the usual, haha.

**Disclaimer: ****I do not own Gakuen Alice or any of its characters.**

* * *

"Tell me again why I was dragged along for this?" Natsume grumbled, stuffing his fists into his pockets and bunching his shoulders together for warmth. It was all fruitless when a gust of cool wind rushed past them and he couldn't suppress a shudder.

His ever-cheerful girlfriend didn't even feel the cold. Instead, she turned to him with her eyebrows bunched together and a pout twisting her lips, wagging a finger into his chest.

"_Because, _Natsume," she retorted, "it is not everyday that the Howalon store decides to have a half-off sale, and one-star students like me with no allowance _live _for this stuff!"

"And why am I, a special star student with _plenty _of allowance, stuck camping out in line with you?" he growled, craning his head around her to glare at the fifty or so people in line with them.

Mikan sniffed, crossing her arms and turning back to face the front. "Because no one else would come with me, and as a supportive boyfriend, this is something you should do."

He grumbled under his breath but said nothing to refute her, just like he'd done when she'd first shown up at his door at _six in the morning _on a day off from school. Of course she always rushed into class two seconds before the bell, but whenever Howalon was involved, getting up at the crack of dawn was no problem for her.

He'd answered her knock with bags under his eyes and bed head mussing up his hair, demanding rather snappily what it was she wanted at this ungodly hour. It surprised even him when, at the mention of the fluffy treat being the cause of this all, rather than shut the door and burrow himself back into bed, he'd obediently changed into something more presentable and followed her all the way to Central Town. They had then proceeded to wait in the steadily growing line for hours on end, the cold wind nipping at their skin, as the store didn't open until ten and they'd arrived with _plenty_ of time to spare. The things he did to keep his girlfriend happy...

"Eating this much candy isn't good for you," he snapped crabbily, trying to be inconspicuous as he shuffled from foot to foot in an effort to stay warm.

Mikan rolled her eyes, clicking her tongue impatiently. "I'm not going to eat _all_ of it. I want to give some to everybody else, too: Ruka-pyon and Tsubasa-senpai and Narumi-sensei and Shiki-san and Uncle–"

"Why are they all _men?_" he demanded crossly, scowling through his chattering lips.

"–and Misaki-senpai and Permy and Nobara," she continued, glaring at her boyfriend to further prove her point. "Then I want some for myself, and some for you, too. This is the only time a one-star student like me can buy so much at once, so I've been saving up."

"And why the hell did they have this stupid promotion when it's so fucking _cold?_" he growled, ignoring her sharp _'language!' _as admonishment.

"It's a Christmas sale," she explained crisply. "I told you to dress warmer when we were leaving, Natsume, but do you ever listen to me? _Nooo_."

He scowled down at her, mumbling something about her always nagging him like a freaking housewife, before finally sighing and holding up a fisted palm. "Oh, screw it," he decided with a lick of his lips. "I'm using my Alice."

Before he could so much as _think_ of the blazing firebolts, cool fingers swiftly wrapped themselves around his hands, gently prying open the fists and firmly preventing him from doing as he'd planned. He looked up to find himself at the end of a stern glare.

"Don't you _dare, _Natsume," Mikan breathed, her lower lip almost trembling as she stared him down. "You promised you wouldn't use your Alice anymore for stupid, unnecessary things–"

"I'd say getting frozen to death is a pretty life-or-death situation, Mikan," he retorted back, but there was no bite in his bark. He certainly remembered making that oath to his girlfriend, a solemn memory that he was sure would haunt him for many years to come, if for no other reason than the look of pure anguish on his girlfriend's face as she wept over him. He wasn't in any hurry to relive the heart-wrenching pain of that night.

Mikan wordlessly released one of his hands to uncoil the scarf wrapped tightly around her neck. She threw it around him instead, and he could feel the warmth of her skin still embedded into the fabric as she carefully arranged it into place.

"What makes you think I would want your stupid, girly scarf with rabbits sewn on, Polka?" he grumbled, but he barely glanced down at it, too busy locking gazes with his fiancée. "Besides, now you'll be cold."

Mikan gently shook her head, perhaps hearing the edge of worry in his voice over the snark, and assured him quietly, "I won't be cold. Because, look." Intertwining her thin fingers with his, she stuffed both their hands into the pockets of her coat, and the heat of their contact immediately warmed him all the way down to his toes. Mikan grinned up at him brightly. "See? We'll keep _each other_ warm."

And Natsume could do no more than turn his head off to the side and mutter bitterly to himself that this girl was much too cute and clueless for her own good.

**.. ღ ..**

The shop opened at exactly ten on the dot, causing a ripple of excitement to run down the line. Customers were hectic, and from his spot, Natsume could see each patron buying boxes of candy in bulk, much like Mikan planned to do.

Despite the long hours of waiting and complaining he'd endured, Natsume was almost regretful when their turn came and Mikan had to let go of their joined hands. He instantly felt the cold she had kept at bay attack him again, but put up with it in light of her excitement.

That was until she gleefully rushed up to the stall, only to have the shop-owner shove a _'Sold Out' _sign in her face.

"No!" she wailed, but it was no use.

"Sorry, kid," the man grunted back to her, "but we're all out. Shoulda gotten here sooner. We're having another sale next week, though, so come by then."

"I _can't!_" she lamented. "I have a make-up exam with Jin-Jin that I can't skip, and I..._I–_"

With a sob, she buried her face into her boyfriend's chest and let out all her misery into his jacket in the form of anguished tears. Draping an arm over the middle of her back, Natsume sent a warning glare to the owner, who apologized anxiously at the sight of the death stare but claimed that there was still nothing he could do.

Natsume did his best to ease Mikan's sorrow, but to no avail, and the pitiful whimpers nearly crushed him.

**.. ღ ..**

The next time the Howalon shop held another promotion, the entire population of Central Town was astounded to see one Natsume Hyuuga at the front of the line at four in the morning, who bought out the entire contents of the store and left them in his girlfriend's room to find when she woke up the next morning.

The smears of lip gloss over his telling smirk were sign enough that Mikan had been _more _than appreciative of his efforts.

* * *

**A/N: **An update in honor of Natsume's birthday ^_^


	4. Dawn

**Prompt: **Dawn  
**Other characters: **None.  
**Other pairings: **None.  
**Notes:** Wow, I have nothing to say o_o  
**Dedication: **Thank you all _sooo _much for the prompts you gave me, but I ended up going with 'dawn,' which is why this chapter is dedicated to ******Bloodyravenheart13 **:)

**Disclaimer: ****I do not own Gakuen Alice or any of its characters.**

* * *

It wasn't often that Mikan awoke with the sun.

Even she could hardly believe it when her lashes fluttered open, only to find purple shadows still ghosting over the walls and a silence she had never experienced before past the open window.

Groaning lightly, she turned on her back and blindly reached out a hand to feel for Natsume, only to touch nothing but empty bedsheets. Cracking one eye open, she curiously looked over to his side of the mattress. Indeed, he was no longer in bed, even at this ungodly hour.

It took willpower to force herself out of bed, and she almost dove right back under the blanket when the cold nipped at her skin. Tying her robe over herself securely, she shuffled out of the bedroom in her bedroom slippers, suppressing a yawn behind her hand and rubbing at the water that pooled at the ends of her eyes. She could still have used some more sleep, but the mystery of Natsume's whereabouts had her curious.

She found him in the living room, perched on the balcony with his legs half folded and his arms wrapped around his knees. He failed to notice her presence, and she watched him watch the sunset forlornly for a beat longer before making her way over.

"You got up pretty early." Her voice was muddled with sleep, one of the few times it was soft and silent.

Natsume didn't look over as she sat across from him, but she was content just watching the orange light bounce over his cheekbones and glint in his serious gaze. It almost took her breath away, how beautiful he was.

"Couldn't sleep," he finally muttered.

Mikan started. "Have you been sitting here the whole night?" The two had gone to bed together last night, but she had decidedly been the first of the two of them to fall asleep. She hadn't so much as felt him slip out.

"Needed to think," he grunted, unhooking one of his hands to run it through his messy hair. His tongue darted out to lick his lips just once, and she took that as a sign to mean he was anxious about something.

"Care to share?" she asked cautiously, inclining her head to the side.

"It's just–" He paused, sighed, gazed out broodingly at the skyline once more, and then finally turned to face her. She almost flinched at the intensity in his eyes. "I spent almost my entire life trying to run away from that goddamned Academy, and now that we're _out... _I'm just waiting to wake up from this."

Mikan graced him with one of the saddest smiles he had ever seen, and before he could reach out to comfort her, she had crawled in between his legs and buried her face in his chest. He was silent as her hands slowly crept their way up his shoulders, running against his jawline before digging themselves into his hair and bluntly stroking his scalp. She might have felt his shiver, for when she looked into his face, it was to push herself up and lightly press her lips to his.

It was less than a second later that she pulled away, her voice hazy as she mumbled, "This is real, Natsume. This is you and me, in our new apartment far, far away from the Academy, and I promise you that no one is going to take that away."

"You don't know that," he muttered back. "I honestly expect someone to come break down our door any second–"

"This was our first night here," she quietly pointed out. "Of course you're going to feel that way, Natsume, when we've barely just started our new life. But you don't have to have anything to do with that Academy anymore if you don't want to."

"Says who?" he breathed.

"Says me." Her lips twitched up into a slight smile. "I'll protect you."

He scoffed and turned his head away – or would have, had she not reached out her hands to cup his cheeks. Stroking circles on his skin with her thumbs, she gently kissed him again, this time taking just a little longer to press up against his lips until she felt him relax under her once more.

"You don't play fair," Natsume mumbled around her mouth, and she broke off the kiss in a fit of giggles. He couldn't help but to smirk in return. "Where did you learn to do that?"

"From _you," _she laughed, her hands dropping down to his shoulders this time. When the light mood passed from their sudden silence, her smile turned a little sad once again. "How long have you been worrying like this, Natsume?" she asked softly.

"...Only recently," he assured her, his voice just as quiet.

"I think we need to talk about this." When he opened his mouth to spur her off, she continued firmly, "I know you don't like to share, Natsume. _God _knows how many fights we've had about that. But this is important! What if you spend the rest of your life never feeling safe?"

He noticed the way her lower lip trembled when she said it, and it was possibly what had him sighing in defeat. "All right, all right."

_"Trust _everyone at the Academy, Natsume," she insisted, her forehead wrinkling with the words. "We spent our last few years there in almost perfect peace, and any missons any of us went on, we _chose _to do. You know our friends would never let us get hurt, and they would never give anyone our address. And if anyone _does _manage to find us, we have a plan, remember?"

"And if the plan doesn't work–"

"It _will_ work," she said confidently, squaring her shoulders to appear bigger and bolder. They'd devised it so carefully and practiced it too many times for it not to work. She knew that and Natsume knew that, so she was well aware there was something else bothering him that he'd simply avoided.

He laid his hand atop hers, absentmindedly stroking the back of her palms, before he finally sighed.

"I just...I _can't _let you get hurt." The words came out as almost a plead, and he stared up at her with helpless eyes.

"And I can't let _you _get hurt." She smiled. "See? Now we've each got someone protecting us, so we'll definitely always be safe."

He said nothing, but returned her smile with a small one of his own, so she knew he was all right. At the very least, the silence they lapsed into was comfortable, no longer so tense from the conversation or as morose as when she'd first found him thinking by the balcony. They both gazed out at the skyline together, where the sun had yet to rise above the horizon, and relaxed in each other's company.

"Come on," Mikan finally said into the quiet, pulling herself back up and tugging him along with her. "The bed is practically calling my name, and _you've _been awake all night, so we're both going back to sleep."

He let her lead him back to their bedroom, hand in hand.

* * *

**A/N:** I gave this one a slightly quieter feel :) And these past few drabbles have all been about Natsume being a sweetheart of a boyfriend, but I thought it was time to show that Mikan is just as much his support as he is hers.

Also, as you can probably tell by the slight change in the summary, I've finally decided that I'm going to make all of these drabbles take place after the ending :) After all, the reason I started writing these in the first place was to deal with my feelings over the end of the manga.


	5. Eve

**Prompt: **Eve  
**Other characters: **Brief mentions of the whole gang.  
**Other pairings: **None.  
**Notes:** Since Christmas is here, I had to write _something_ ^_^**  
**

**Disclaimer: ****I do not own Gakuen Alice or any of its characters.**

* * *

Christmas Eve at the Hyuuga and Sakura residence was always quiet.

It was Chritmas day that was rowdy, when almost the entirety of their group of friends would come visit and hold a grand party every year. The couple had moved out of their apartment years ago, when they'd finally gathered enough of a fortune to buy their own home together, and it was always the perfect place for everyone to gather, sometimes after almost a whole year apart. Half the men would purposely monopolize Mikan's time just to irk Natsume, while the women would gather round in the kitchen and watch in awe as Anna cooked their entire meal in just hours. Everyone had formed an alliance long ago to prevent Mikan from touching _any _sort of utensil, which meant they could enjoy a food-poisoning-free holiday season once more. Even the High School Principal and Shiki would connect over a video chat, unable to leave work at this crucial time but still dying to see their niece and surrogate niece, respectively. It was merry and light and everything one would expect from a festive day like Christmas.

But Christmas Eve was for Natsume and Mikan alone.

They accepted no visitors. They answered no phone calls. Natsume had made it clear years ago that anyone who bothered them on their day would be fried like a Christmas turkey, while Mikan had blushed and fumbled and stuttered before asking everyone to give her some time alone with her fiancé. It warmed everyone's hearts to see them so in love, no matter how discreet Natsume was about it, so they didn't have the heart to refuse.

The couple had their own traditions on Eve, just like anyone else; Mikan liked to play music through the house all day, while dancing around her living room as she decorated it; Natsume lugged branches all the way from the woods himself and would light the fireplace by the time the sun had set, with his girlfriend watching with rapt attention to ensure he wouldn't use his Alice; their tree, they would have delivered a week before, and Mikan liked to put cute animal figurines on the top rather than a star or an angel, as was customary; Natsume did all the cooking, and after they had finished their meal and the house was peacefully silent, the two would just lie in each other's arms in front of the fire place until sleep claimed them.

And as strange as it seemed to anyone else, the two never, ever exchanged Christmas presents.

They hadn't done so since they were twelve, and they never would as long as Mikan was so deeply in love with Natsume – which would be _always, _she was sure. There were no presents under their tree, except for when their friends arrived and placed packages under the pine needles to exchange later in the day. But between Natsume and Mikan, there were no gifts to give.

It bothered Natsume quite a lot, for he knew how fond she was of receiving gifts. Even tonight, with the two tucked up against one another in front of a fireplace so warm, he wondered if things were okay like this.

Mikan suddenly shifted in his lap, her arms tightening around his waist and her cheek slipping farther down his chest. A hazy smile widened over her lips, though she didn't open her eyes as she hummed in contentment. _"Mmmm..."_

He entangled his fingers into her hair, pulling her head back until she looked at him. She did so in confusion, cocking her head to the side and quietly asking what was wrong.

"You're sure you don't want a present?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Mikan giggled. "Not even a little bit," she assured him, her voice jingling like bells like it always did. "Jeez, Natsume, you ask me every _year_."

"Because every year you say no," he grunted, "and I don't believe a word of it."

"It's true, though," she murmured, reaching up her hand to brush his cheek with her fingertips. She did so gently, her movements so soft that he barely felt the contact between their skin, and her eyes were just as tender. "I meant everything I said on that tower, Natsume."

And instantly the two were transported back to that night at the Academy, when he'd found her after months of searching and the two had finally declared their love for one another. More clearly than anything, Mikan relived that crippling _happiness _she'd felt at seeing him there, at getting to finally touch him for the first time in months and see his face and _know _in that instant that she would never love another man more than she did Natsume. A smile flickering over her lips, she repeated her declaration from that night, ten years later.

"I was _so_ happy, Natsume," she whispered, stroking his cheek with her thumb. "So happy that it was like receiving my Christmas presents for the rest of my life. And I meant it."

Natsume groaned, a sound that resonated at the back of his throat, filled with longing and desire for her. He was still growling as he swooped down and took her lips with his own, his fingers trailing up her neck until they had entangled in her hair again, and he pulled her into the kiss hungrily. They both shut their eyes at the same time, just kissing by the fireplace until Natsume started peppering kisses up and down her neck.

Mikan clutched his shirt more tightly, her fingers trembling. "N-Natsume!" she protested, but even so, angled her head to the side so his lips could reach the crook of her neck.

"Hn," he grunted, and it was the only acknowledgment she received before his hand found her chest and he _squeezed._

_"Eep!" _Mikan squealed, so surprised that she pushed him away. He raised his eyebrows at the red blush burning her cheeks, wondering just _when _his girlfriend would finally get used to his advances. "_Warn _me before you do that, Natsume!" Mikan pouted. "You always take me by surprise —"

"Fine, then," he interrupted, already leaning forward. His eyes bore into hers so intensely that she leaned back, until her back hit the floor and he hovered over her with unhidden lust in his gaze. "I'm going to kiss you now..."

Kiss her he did, and his jaw was hard as it moved against hers. She cupped his face and tried to push back with just as much force, arching her waist into him, and he used her reaction to his advantage. One hand drifted under the skirt of her dress while the other slid under to her back, but Mikan didn't even realize until she heard the unmistakable _zip _of her zipper being pulled down.

_"Natsume!" _she protested again, but said nothing when he pulled the straps of her dress down her shoulders. "Honestly," she grumbled as he started kissing her neck again, "you're always so insatiable _every Christmas._"

"Then you should stop being so surprised," he mumbled against her skin, "and next time, lay down something so we don't have to do this on the floor."

She rolled her eyes and murmured something under her breath, but didn't protest when he finally yanked her dress down to her waist. She just thanked her lucky stars she had remembered to put on some _nice _underwear that morning, her usual polka-dotted panties stuffed in the back of her drawer.

It was a tradition in the Hyuuga and Sakura residence that Mikan never accepted any gifts and all Natsume ever wanted was a kiss from his lover, and it had been that way since they were twelve. But over the many, many years they had been together, they had created a new tradition: Christmas Eve always ended with a little something _extra _for _both _of them.

* * *

**A/N:** Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night! (And happy holidays to anyone who doesn't celebrate Christmas~)


End file.
